The US withdraws troops deployed to Nigeria following the successful completion of a joint counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad Basin. The United States confirmed that most of the military personnel deployed to Nigeria to support intelligence, surveillance, and operations against ISIS and other terrorist groups have returned home after the mission achieved its objectives.
The Commander of US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, disclosed the development during a press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.
The deployment formed part of a broader security partnership between the United States and Nigeria aimed at strengthening intelligence, surveillance, and counterterrorism operations across the Lake Chad Basin.
On December 25, 2025, the United States carried out airstrikes on two terrorist enclaves in the Bauni Forest, located in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. In February 2026, the US deployed about 200 military personnel to Nigeria to support intelligence gathering, surveillance, and counterterrorism operations targeting ISIS and other terrorist groups operating in the region.
The joint operation led to the elimination of Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIS, during a raid on his hideout in Borno State. According to US officials, the operation disrupted the terrorist group’s global network and marked a significant success in the fight against extremism.
Speaking at the conference, General Anderson said the operation had been concluded and that most of the US troops deployed to Nigeria had returned to Washington, D.C. He explained that although the military deployment had ended, the partnership between both countries would continue through intelligence sharing and security cooperation.
“And so that operation in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria not only helped the countries in that immediate region; it also helps countries globally as that disrupts the ISIS network,” Anderson said.
“And then we have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation, but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary to be able to prosecute these difficult tasks.”
General Anderson described Nigeria as a capable partner with a strong military, a large educated population, and one of Africa’s biggest economies. He said the collaboration between both countries demonstrated how combining US intelligence capabilities with Nigerian military operations can produce significant victories against terrorist organisations.
According to him, intelligence support provided by the United States played a critical role in locating and eliminating Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, a senior ISIS leader responsible for the group’s global operations, recruitment, and media activities.
He added that the operation reflects the US strategy of supporting allied nations by providing specialised capabilities that strengthen local security forces while allowing partner countries to lead operations within their own territories.
The US withdraws troops deployed to Nigeria after completing the mission but has pledged to continue supporting Nigeria through intelligence sharing, strategic cooperation, and capacity building to help tackle terrorism and other security threats across the region.
Beyond the operation in Nigeria, Anderson called for stronger intelligence sharing among African countries to combat terrorism, drug trafficking, and other transnational crimes.
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He also revealed that recent cooperation between the United States, AFRICOM, and international partners led to the interception of a record 31-ton shipment of cocaine originating from South America and travelling along the West African coast. The vessel was eventually intercepted by Spanish authorities in what he described as the largest drug seizure ever recorded at sea.
“I was able to coordinate through our interagency in the United States, through AFRICOM, and then notify some of the partners. Eventually, it was a Spanish ship that interdicted the vessel carrying 31 tons of cocaine, and it turned out to be the largest drug interdiction at sea that we’ve ever seen,” Anderson said.
